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Mahler · Gustav Mahler

Mahler Symphony No. 4 in G major

Begins with sleigh bells and ends with a song of heaven

Key
G major
Composed
1900
Premiere
1901 Munich
Duration
About 55 min
Movements
4 movements
Instrumentation
Woodwinds 4·3·3·3 (doubling piccolo, English horn, E♭ clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabassoon) · Brass 4·3·0·0 · Timpani · Percussion (bass drum, triangle, sleigh bells, glockenspiel, cymbals, tam-tam) · Harp · Soprano soloist · Strings

The story behind this piece

He began writing this piece in 1899. The last movement is Mahler's 1892 song "Das himmlische Leben" (Heavenly Life), which he had originally meant to put in Symphony No. 3 but left out. Mahler made this song both the starting point and the goal, and built the whole Fourth Symphony around it. A soprano sings of heaven as seen through a child's eyes.

The second movement originally had the title "Freund Hein plays." "Freund Hein" (Friend Hein) is a name for Death in German folk tales. To portray this "fiddle of Death," the solo violin is played on a different instrument tuned a step higher, deliberately producing a rough sound.

It was premiered on November 25, 1901, in Munich, with Mahler conducting the Kaim Orchestra and Margarete Michalek singing. But applause and boos were mixed, and most critics' reactions were bad. At first, it was the most harshly criticized of all Mahler's symphonies.

What to listen for

  • Opening of the first movement: it begins with flutes and jingling sleigh bells.
  • Second movement: the concertmaster switches to a second violin tuned a step higher and plays a rough solo.
  • Fourth movement: the soprano sings "Das himmlische Leben" with childlike innocence.

Listen · Score

Credits